Many people find it challenging to make a fair assessment of their own websites. Like an old car, or worn in pair of shoes, you’ve become accustomed to your website’s quirks and shortcomings. You tell yourself: well it works, it’s doing its job, it’s not worth the expense and effort of replacing.
Your website might be just fine. Don’t take a redesign lightly, rather, should it be necessary, be serious about the task and have clear goals in mind. Remember that you only hear from the people that do solicit your business. Those that steer clear because your website is unusable, clunky or just plain unsightly will never contact you at all.
How can you make an honest assessment of the state of your website?
- Is the navigation clear and easy to follow on every single page? Is it possible to misclick? Do you have to lean forward or strain your eyes even just a little?
- Is your branding information up to date, and does the display quality equal or rival any other print ad or publication you produce?
- Does your footer contain accurate and timely information and links?
- Is all of your contact information up to date and very easy to find?
- Does your website have wow factor? Do people ever compliment you on how attractive and easy it is to use?
- Does your website look better than your competitors’ websites?
- Can you easily update information yourself, or do you depend on another person or agency to make updates?
- Is your website design consistent and clean throughout?
- Does your website look the same on other computers and browsers?
- Is your website more than five years old?
If you answer is no to some, or really any, of the above questions you should seriously consider an update. Your website will be your first point of contact with many, if not most, of your visitors. Even if your business has very little, or nothing to do with the internet, your customers aren’t finding you through the yellow pages anymore, they are finding you through the internet. If you are careless or neglectful of the quality and relevance of your site your customers’ first contact with you will quickly become their last.
